4.20.25
Good morning!
On the eighth day of counting the omer, we start the second week of counting (Lev. 23:15,16). The Passover celebration is complete. The conscious removing of leaven out of your house, and examining your life is complete. The celebration of first fruits is complete and now it's time for the preparation towards Pentecost, the mini Jubilee, and the outpouring of the spirit.
Everybody is looking for freedom (Jn. 8:32). Everybody wants to enjoy a mental state and emotional peace. For our 50 day purpose, it can be boiled down to basically for words: Invest more, expect less. It’s really about where we choose to direct our precious energy.
Let me ask you an important question: have you ever spent a lot of mental and emotional energy wishing people were different than they are? Have you ever wished that someone in your life or that you interact with regularly was different than they are? Maybe your spouse, maybe your kids, maybe your parents, maybe coworkers, even somebody within your own congregation...if so, welcome to the club that answers yes.
During these 50 days of counting the omer investing more and expecting less is going to be very important in your preparation. The wise person invests into their own character rather than resenting others lack of it. You might be asking yourself, "How do I do this when I have a specific person very close in my own life"? Mindfully, you have to react strategically, and sometimes demonstrate compassionate detachment. And just as important and maybe even more so, is when someone shows you who they really are, believe them.
For the sake of our spiritual and emotional health, we can love others in the interest of our own development by expecting less from them for her own sake. Huh? It's not pessimism, it's not negativity. It’s learning from the facts as they are. By investing more and expecting less, it's opening up extraordinary freedom by walking into situations and relationships that your peace is not contingent on anyone else or anyone else’s choices.
Why would I make this the focal point of this 8th day of counting of the omer? This day of new beginnings? Because, It needs to be about you. This whole thing needs to be about you (not narcissim). No matter what factors people may have contributed causing you to be somewhere other than where you might want to be it’s not about them, it’s about you. And it’s OK. Because it needs to be about you because you’re the only one who can truly affect change; Not in them, in you.
We are not going into this sacred time with an attitude, 'that if they were just… If she hadn’t… Well, if she would stop… If he hadn’t done…' then you’ll miss the moment completely. You’ll miss it. So we accept what it is with the understanding it is what it is...but it will be what you make it and that’s what I’m asking you to do on this beautiful day. Take a realistic, honest, loving perspective, receive people for who they are and the lessons God can teach us through them.
Ultimately it's our own transformation, not their transformations. There are plenty of people around you who are not where you are and they really need your insight and I’m certain they’re open to hear it. But, they won't be open to hear until each of us becomes more and more grounded, more peaceful and more free. You may very well become the inspiration that chooses other people to choose a higher level. You might be a living source for them.
As you celebrate this 50 day period, this gift from God, It’s an opportunity for freedom in your life. You are free to choose to participate or not. I hope you will. I pray this season of counting will be more than just rehearsing your ability to count to 50 :-) At Pentecost, it will be the freedom that comes, not from changing others, but elevating and investing into ourselves with joy and gratitude. All of that in hopes that your life will inspire others because that’s part of what disciples do.
As you count up to 50 may we all be elevated for our own sakes, His, and theirs.
Shalom!
Everybody is looking for freedom (Jn. 8:32). Everybody wants to enjoy a mental state and emotional peace. For our 50 day purpose, it can be boiled down to basically for words: Invest more, expect less. It’s really about where we choose to direct our precious energy.
Let me ask you an important question: have you ever spent a lot of mental and emotional energy wishing people were different than they are? Have you ever wished that someone in your life or that you interact with regularly was different than they are? Maybe your spouse, maybe your kids, maybe your parents, maybe coworkers, even somebody within your own congregation...if so, welcome to the club that answers yes.
During these 50 days of counting the omer investing more and expecting less is going to be very important in your preparation. The wise person invests into their own character rather than resenting others lack of it. You might be asking yourself, "How do I do this when I have a specific person very close in my own life"? Mindfully, you have to react strategically, and sometimes demonstrate compassionate detachment. And just as important and maybe even more so, is when someone shows you who they really are, believe them.
For the sake of our spiritual and emotional health, we can love others in the interest of our own development by expecting less from them for her own sake. Huh? It's not pessimism, it's not negativity. It’s learning from the facts as they are. By investing more and expecting less, it's opening up extraordinary freedom by walking into situations and relationships that your peace is not contingent on anyone else or anyone else’s choices.
Why would I make this the focal point of this 8th day of counting of the omer? This day of new beginnings? Because, It needs to be about you. This whole thing needs to be about you (not narcissim). No matter what factors people may have contributed causing you to be somewhere other than where you might want to be it’s not about them, it’s about you. And it’s OK. Because it needs to be about you because you’re the only one who can truly affect change; Not in them, in you.
We are not going into this sacred time with an attitude, 'that if they were just… If she hadn’t… Well, if she would stop… If he hadn’t done…' then you’ll miss the moment completely. You’ll miss it. So we accept what it is with the understanding it is what it is...but it will be what you make it and that’s what I’m asking you to do on this beautiful day. Take a realistic, honest, loving perspective, receive people for who they are and the lessons God can teach us through them.
Ultimately it's our own transformation, not their transformations. There are plenty of people around you who are not where you are and they really need your insight and I’m certain they’re open to hear it. But, they won't be open to hear until each of us becomes more and more grounded, more peaceful and more free. You may very well become the inspiration that chooses other people to choose a higher level. You might be a living source for them.
As you celebrate this 50 day period, this gift from God, It’s an opportunity for freedom in your life. You are free to choose to participate or not. I hope you will. I pray this season of counting will be more than just rehearsing your ability to count to 50 :-) At Pentecost, it will be the freedom that comes, not from changing others, but elevating and investing into ourselves with joy and gratitude. All of that in hopes that your life will inspire others because that’s part of what disciples do.
As you count up to 50 may we all be elevated for our own sakes, His, and theirs.
Shalom!
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